Background

This application note demonstrates quantitative analysis for Portland cement by the pressed powder method according to ASTM C114-11 on Rigaku Supermini200, a benchtop sequential wavelength dispersive XRF spectrometer. Cement is one of the most important materials for construction. Many kinds of hydraulic cements, including Portland cement, with various physical properties are produced by changing the composition of clinker minerals; therefore, it is important to control the chemical composition of cement products and interim products.

ASTM C114-11 covers chemical analysis of hydraulic cement. In this standard, procedures of wet chemical analysis are mainly described and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry is mentioned as an example of “Rapid Test Methods”. In practice, XRF spectrometry has been used for chemical composition analysis of cement owing to its simple sample preparation and high precision.